Unloader



Aug.. 11, 1925. 1,548.842v

E. A. KELLER UNLOADER Fild July l, 1922 2 Sheets-Shea?. 1

Patented Aug. l1, i9259 Fre'fltl EFCE.

UNLOAIDER.

Application filed. July 1, 1922. Serial No. 572,236.

To 'all 'LU/2.0m t may concern.'

Be it known that l, EZRA A. KELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Grange, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Unloaders, of which the following is a specification.

'lhis invention relates to the general art of unloading appliances, and has reference more particularly to power-operated apparatus designed to effect the unloading of sand, grain and other comparatively line material in bulk from railway cars and its transfer to wagons, trucks or piles adjacent to the railway track.

The apparatus of my present invention has been designed more especially to effect the rapid and economical unloading of sand from railway cars, and the main object of the invention is to provide a comparatively Simple, inexpensive and efficient unloading apparatus that can be suspended or otherwise supported adjacent to a railway track withcapacity of bodily movement lengthwise of the latter and likewise swinging movement around its point of suspension or support between positions parallel with and crosswise of the track. Another object is to provide an apparatus of the character specilied including gathering and elevating mechanism ojierating directly on the material in the car and capable of being readily shifted by handto reach the material at all points within' the car, making it unnecessary to shovel any appreciable amount of material from the corners and ends ofthe car into the reach of the gathering and elevating mechanism of the apparatus.

A further object of the .invention is to provide an apparatus of the character specified which shall be so mounted from or on its point of support that the parts thereof on opposite sides of said point of support shall substantially balance each other, thereby rendering` it easy to raise, lower and otherwise shift by hand the gathering and elevating mechanism. Other more specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein l have illustrated a practical and approved embodiment of the invention which inservice has vbeen found to operate satisfactorily, and in which- Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal and vertical section of the complete apparatus, portions of a railway car and of a wagon or truck alongside the latter being indicated in dotted lines to better illustrate the manner of using the apparatus Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the gathering mechanism and the lower end of the elevating conveyor;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section through the delivery conveyor.

F 5 is a view in side elevation of a differential pulley hoisting and lowering device for the unloader.

Referring to the drawings, at 10 is indicated in dotted lines a railway freight car of the type commonly employed for the transportation of coal, sand, and like material, and at 11 is indicated in dotted lines the body of a wagon or truck disposed alongside the car 10. 12 designates a trolley track, herein shown as an -beam so mounted as to extend alongside of and parallel with the railroad track at an elevation somewhat above the top of the car 10. Mounted to travel on the track 12 is a trolley 13 carrying a block and pulley tackle taking the form of a well-known differential pulley hoist, shownin detail in Fig. 5, and comprising an upper pulley block or frame 14, rigidly connected differential grooved pulleys 14a and 14b journaled therein, a lower pulley block or frame 14, a grooved pulley 14c j ournaled therein, and an endless chain 15 carried around said pulleys in such a manner that the lower pulley 1'4C is supported on one side from the pulley 14a and on its opposite side from the pulley 14h. From the swivel hook 16 ofv the hoist is suspended by a bail 17 the entire apparatus of the unloader, including its motor and driving mechanism. By pulling downwardly on the side of the chain 15 that hangs freely from the larger pulley 14a the unloader is raised, and by pulling downwardly on the opposite side of the chain that hangs freely from the smaller pulley 14b the unloaded is lowered. More specifically, the lower ends of the bail 17 are pivoted to the outer sides of a pair of parallel wooden beams or bars 18 that constitute the side frame members of the delivery conveyor. ln and between the opposite ends of the beams 18 are journaled outer and inner shafts 19 and 20, on which are mounted rollers 21 and 22, respectively, over and between which rollers is trained the endless carrier belt 28; the upperlap of the said bel t being supported at frequent intervals by a group of small rollers 24 as usual in this, type of conveyor. To guide the edges of the upper and lower laps of the belt so as to maintain the latter always in true working relation to the rollers 21 and 22, small grooved guide sheaves 25 and 2G are mounted on the upper and lower edges of the beams 18 adjacent to the rollers 21 and 22, respectively.

To give a trough formation to the delivery conveyor l provide a pair of upwardly and outwardly inclined side wall strips 2l (Fig. 4) that overlie the longitudinal edge portions of the belt 28 and are conveniently supported by angle brackets 28 attached to the beams 18. To the inner faces of the side wall strips 27 are attached flexible strips 29 of canvas, rubber, leather or any other suitable material, the lower edges of which overlap the upper lap of the main conveyor belt 28, as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The side beams 18 of the delivery conveyor frame extend a slight distance rearwardly of the inner belt roller 22, as indicated at 18', and to and between said beam extensions 18 are secured by bolts 80 a pair of inclined parallel bars 81 extending above and below the plane of the delivery conveyor and constituting the side elements of a supporting frame for an elevating conveyor of the bucket type. To render the elcvatting conveyor frame rigid in its relation to the delivery conveyor frame, the side bars of the two frames are preferably connected by a pair of angle iron braces 82 and 88. Journaled in and between the upper and lower ends of the conveyor frame bars 81 are a pair of shafts 84 and 85, respectively, fast on which are sprocket wheels 86 and 87, over which latter is trained an endless sprocket chain 88 carrying a series of scoops or buckets 89. Secured to the frame bars 81 just above the level of the upper lap of the delivery conveyor 28 are a pair of forwardly extending guard plates 40 which overlap the receiving end of the delivery conveyor belt 28 throughout the dumping area of the buckets 89, preventing side-spill of the material as it drops from the buckets onto the delivery conveyor. Fix-- tending between the guard plates 40 is a transverse guard plate 41 located just above the receiving end of the delivery conveyor and tending to check and reduce back-spill of the material.

As best. shown in Fig. 8, the lower shaft 85 extends to some distance laterally of its bearings in the frame bars 81 and has attached thereto radial arms 42 carrying in clined or screw blades 48 which, weeping through the material as the shaft 85 rotates, operate to move the latter' inwardly into the field of operation of the conveyor buckets as the latter round the lower end of the conveyor frame. I have herein shown a pair of these material-gathering blades 48 on each side of the conveyor, the two blades beingl located 180D apart on the shaft, and the two blades on each side being set 90o from the two blades on the other side. This arrangement of gathering blades effects alternate feeds of the material to the buckets from the opposite sides, effectively suppleinenting the scooping action of the buckets and insuring the continuous filling of the latter so long as the gathering blades and foot of the conveyor are maintained in the material. l have found that the spaced inclined blades disposed substantially as shown and described more effectively move the material into the path of the conveyor buckets and into the buckets themselves than the plain screws which have heretofore been used for this purpose on the lower ends of elevating conveyors.

To provide for the angular and up and down shifting of the lower digging end of the gathering and elevating conveyor as well as of the delivery conveyor lt provide a bail-shaped handle 44 that may be conveniently attached by collars or clips 45 to the sides of the conveyor frame extensions 18; said handle extending sufficiently far in rear of the gathering and elevating conveyor to enable the same to be readily inanipulatcd without danger of the feet of the operator getting into the range of the gatbering blades or conveyor buckets. Also, to prev it the blades and buckets from striking the floor of the car. the lower end of the conveyor frame is equipped with a pair ot' feet 46.

@n the frame of the delivery conveyor and on theopposite side of the point of suspension from the elevating` conveyor is mounted a platform 47, on which is mounted an elec tric motor 48. The armature shaft of the motor carries a pinion 4f) meshing with a spur gear on one end of a counter-shaft 51. On the opposite end of the counter-.shaft 5l is a pinion 52 n'ieshing with a spur gear 58 on the corresponding end of a second counter-shaft 54. Gn the other end of counter-shaft 54 is a sprocket wheel driving a sprocket chain 56 that drivingly engages sprocket wheel 57 on one end of the outer belt roller shaft 19. The last described mechanism constitutes the drive for the delivery conveyor belt; the countershafts 51 and 54 and their pinions and gears constitute a suitable speed-reducing mecha anism. The conveyor belt 23 constitutes a driving element for the rear belt-supporting roller 22 and its shaft 20. Gn one end of the shaft 20 is a sprocket wheel 57 which, by a sprocket chain 58 drives a sprocket wheel 59 fast on the corresponding end of the upper shaft 34 of the elevating conveyor, by which the latter is driven. It will thus be seen that both conveyors and the gathering mechanism are driven from a single motor itself mounted on and shiftable with the bodily and angular movements of the delivery conveyor. The belt 23 and roller 22 constitute a friction drive for the elevating conveyor and the gathering mechanism, which is desirable on account of affording slip in the event of abnormal or breaking strains on the transmission mechanism due to the blades 43 encountering obstacles or overloads that prevent their normalfunctioning.

Thel operation of the unloader is probably clear from the foregoing description of its construction and organization, but may be briefly outlined as follows. Assuming that a train of loaded cars brought to a position alongside of the trolley track 12 is to be unloaded, the apparatus is drawn along the track 12 to a position alongside of a. car at either end of the train, and the apparatus is then lowered sufficiently to bring the foot of the elevating conveyor and the gathering mechanism onto the top of the load. The delivery conveyor is swung laterally to a position where it overhangs the wagon or truck body 11, or clear space of ground on which the material is to be piled. The motor having been started, the operator, by manipulation of the handle 44, maintains the gathering mechanism and the foot of the elevating conveyor continuously in engagement with the material to be unloaded, by which the latter is rapidly gathered into the buckets, elevated by the latter, dumped onto the delivery conveyor, and discharged from the outer end of the latter either into the wagon or truck 11 or onto the pile. As the unloading proceeds from one end of the car to the other, the trolley 13 is shifted along the rail 12 as required to maintain the apparatusin its most advantageous working position. As soon as one car is unloaded, the apparatus is elevated sufficiently to swing the elevating conveyor over the end of the empty car and the apparatus is then moved along the track 12 to a position opposite the next loaded car, and the described operations are repeated until the entire train of cars is empty.

The apparatus being suspended at substantially mid-length from the swivel hook 16, and the bail 17 being pivotally connected to the delivery conveyor frame, it is possible to tilt the entire apparatus both horizontally and vertically as may be required to secure the greatest working advantage; and this operation is greatly facilitated by supporting or suspending the apparatusat a point substantially coincident with its center of gravity. Also, the mounting of the motor on the apparatus itself greatly increases the flexibility of its movement and operations. Vihile I have shown and described the apparatus as suspended from an overhead trolley track, it is evident that it might be otherwise supported with capacity of bodily movement along the track, and without loss or reduction of its capacity of angular adjustment. Another advantage of the described construction resides in the fact that, when not in use, the entire apparatus can be swung to a position beneath and in line with the trolley track 12 where it does not interfere with the movement of loaded or empty trains on the railroad track.

While I have herein shown and described a practical embodiment of the invention which in practice has been found to operate satisfactorily, it is manifest that changes in the details of structure and organization may be made without involving any departure from the operative principle of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. I-Ience, I reserve all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit and purview of the appended claims.

I claim- 1. In an apparatus for unloading railway cars, the combination of a delivery conveyor, an elevating conveyor meunted on the receiving end of said delivery conveyor, a motor for driving said conveyors mounted on said delivery conveyor, and means for supporting said delivery conveyor with capacity for angular swinging movement and bodily travel lengthwise of a. railway car.

2. In an unloader of the character described, the combination with a delivery conveyor including parallel side bars, rollers `iournaled in and lying between said side bars, and a conveyor belt guided and supported by said rollers, said side bars eX- tending rearwardly of the receiving end of said belt, of an elevating conveyor including parallel side bars lying across and bolted to the rearwardly extending portions of the side bars of said delivery conveyor, and braces connecting the upper end of said elevating conveyor to the side bars of said delivery conveyor.

3. In an apparatus for unloading railway cars, the combination of a delivery conveyor, an elevating conveyor mounted on the receiving end of said delivery conveyor, a motor for driving said conveyors mounted on said delivery conveyor, and means for pivotally suspending said delivery conveyor at a point thereon between said elevating conveyor and said motor.

4. In an apparatus for unloading railway cars, the combination ot' a delivery conveyor, an elevating conveyor rigidly mounted on the receiving end of said delivery conveyor, a gathering mechanism on the lower end of said elevating conveyor', a motor for'driving said conveyors and gathering mechanism mounted on said delivery conveyor, and means for pivotally suspending said delivery conveyor' at a point thereon between said elevating conveyor and said motor and substantially coincident with the center of gravity of the assembly.

EZRA A. KELLER. 

